RP Moslem youths call for solidarity

RP Moslem youths call for solidarity

JAKARTA (JP): A Philippines delegate at a gathering of ASEAN
Moslem youths here calls for solidarity of Islam's younger
generation in Southeast Asia, against what he calls "de-
Islamization" in his country.

"We are working against the strong tide of de-Islamization,"
said E. Morced N. Tagitis of the Islamic Da'wah Council of the
Philippines, a federation of 82 Moslem organizations in that
country.

Most of the educational institutions do not practice religious
tolerance, and make Moslem students in non-Moslem schools attend
classes on other religions, he said.

"Parents cannot protest. They would have to take their
children out of the schools," Tagitis said in the gathering of
Moslem youth of Southeast Asia which started Saturday.

The Moslems of the Philippines, concentrated in Mindanao in
the south and on Luzon island, lack capital to build their own
schools, he said.

"Merely having an Arabic-sounding name may cause you a lot of
trouble," said Tagitis. He added that Moslems make up 10 percent
of the population of 60 million in the Philippines.

Discrimination is also felt in job-seeking, he said.

"I am very lucky. I am the only Moslem in the construction
company where I work in Manila," Tagitis said.

"It is our fervent hope that our brothers who are now gathered
here should not view our predicament with great indifference,"
Tagitis said.

He raised the need for a youth Moslem organization within
ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which groups
Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, the
Philippines, Malaysia and, the youngest member, Vietnam.

The gathering of 100 participants includes Indonesians from 15
provinces and seven foreign delegates from Brunei, Singapore,
Malaysia and the Philippines. Thailand's delegates had informed
organizers they could not attend.

The five-day event which runs to Aug. 29 is an initiative of
RISKA, one of many youth groups based in mosques.

In a written address, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato' Ajit Singh
praised the event which is aimed at strengthening regional ties.
The drive, he said, is significant as it is organized by "the
leaders of tomorrow".

RISKA chairman Aryo Oetomo said the ASEAN Youth Moslem
Informal Meeting will hopefully contribute to the establishment
of stronger ties between ASEAN members.

A local Moslem leader, Imaduddin Abdulrahim, earlier cited
estimates that the population of Malay-speaking Moslems alone
will reach 200 million at the beginning of the 21st century.

A representative of Singh, Filino Harahap, said future
meetings would hopefully include Vietnam, the newest member,
which joined ASEAN only last month.

"Insya Allah (God willing), young Moslems from Cambodia, Laos
and Myanmar will also join in your future meetings," Harahap
said.

Today participants are scheduled to visit the Salman mosque in
Bandung, a noted center of Islamic youth activities. They will
then visit the state-owned IPTN aircraft factory, which recently
launched the N250 aircraft.

"As the event is related to our 50 years of independence, we
would like to share our achievements with the foreign delegates,"
Aryo said. (anr)